Lola's wish to have a pool

Lola
,
9

Lola is a bubbly nine year old from San Antonio who was diagnosed with a malignant spinal cord tumor. From the moment Lola found out that she could make a wish, she immediately said, “I would like a pool!”

Lola is a bubbly nine year old from San Antonio who was diagnosed with a malignant spinal cord tumor. From the moment Lola found out that she could make a wish, she immediately said, “I would like a pool!” Lola’s mother remembers the whole family offering many suggestions on what Lola could ask for. However, for Lola it was about finally getting to swim whenever she wanted. Her mother said, “It was the first thing she thought of and she never changed her mind.”

Thanks to our generous friends at the Harvey Najim Foundation, Make-A-Wish surprised Lola with her new pool on August 17th. Lola was itching to jump into her new pool for the first time. Her mother will never forget Lola’s excitement, as they both watched from an upstairs window when the pool was delivered and installed. After watching, Lola remarked at how fast the pool was built. She could hardly believe it!

There was an added surprise in store for Lola when it came time to put the finishing touches on her wish. Firefighters from the local San Antonio Fire Department came in their truck to fill up her pool. The whole family was so grateful to all of the firefighters, and the battalion chief who came out to help Lola celebrate. Lola was all smiles as the firemen presented her with her very own official fireman’s helmet. They even went the extra mile and had her name printed on the helmet! After getting a tour of the truck and the chance to sit in the driver’s seat, Lola was so happy. She was now more than ready to make her splashy entrance the next day at her Wish Party with family and friends.

At her party, Lola got too many pool toys to count and had fun splashing about in the cool water. It was important to Lola that she got to experience her wish with her family, which includes her mother, father and two brothers. It was a wish that the whole family could enjoy. Lola’s family certainly enjoyed watching her wade through the blue waters.

“For a mom the hardest thing you ever have to do is watch your child go through something as scary as cancer,” said Lola’s mother. That is one of the reasons it meant so much to the whole family to have the opportunity to see Lola happy and content in her new pool. “First ‘dip in the pool’ pictures were hard to get,” admitted her mom, as she recalled Lola splashing around in excitement. “We really cannot thank Make-A-Wish, The Harvey Najim Foundation and the wonderful people who helped make Lola’s wish come true, enough.” Make-A-Wish supporters truly bring hope, strength, and joy into the lives of children like Lola!